promptly placed the imperial ban on the Absberg family. Finally, in May 1521, Absberg attacked a group of returnees from the Reichstag in Worms on the Knittling high road. Hans Lamparter of Greiffenstein (the imperial spokesman) and Johann Lucas, who handled financial transactions on behalf of the emperor fell into his hands. After several stops, the prisoners were brought to the Waldstein, the most secure fortress in the whole Fichtelgebirge, and which belonged to Wolf and Christopher of Sparneck. In January 1523, after a year and 38 days in captivity, the prisoners succeeded with "the help of God", to escape and reported at Nuremberg that the Sparnecks had helped the Absbergs. On 1 June, a powerful army, comprising 10,000 infantry, 1,000 riders, 100 rifles, and 33 cannon with 900 pounds of gunpowder was deployed. On 11 July the troops reached Waldstein Castle and razed it down to its foundations. The castle fell into ruin and was never rebuilt by the Sparnecks. The last of the family line died in 1744 in Wunsiedel. Woodcuts by Hans Wandereisen On a woodcut by war correspondent, Hans Wandereisen, the castle is shown high above the surrounding area. Judging by the number of floors it is rather exaggerated, yet the ruins still stand on an impressive rocky plateau today. Around the spur the forest is cleared, allowing a view of the troops belonging to the Federation. In the original document, published by Baron von Reizenstein, it talks about a ('sheep shed'). This can be seen as a wooden house. If the path is followed, on which a rider and barrels of gunpowder are depicted, uphill is the outer ward, of which is one side of the castle gate still survives. The castle is well fortified on all sides and only at the back can a simple palisade be seen which exploit the natural rock formation. In the left half of the castle, a stone cottage can be seen, which was used as a warehouse, according to Schwarz. The inner ward consisted of a palace, a gatehouse, a battlement with bartizan (on the woodcut in the centre of the castle and oversized) and a quadratic keep. Access to the inner ward was protected by a drawbridge, which is not visible on the woodcut. Several investigations, including by Karl Dietel, support this hypothesis, however. War files of 1523 Transcription: Waldstein, a castle belonging to the Sparnecks, where